Knowing a little HTML and CSS doesn't fix those problems for most people, it makes it worse.
It makes them realize those platforms aren't very good and that, if they want a real site, they probably need help.
Also, a lot of web designers now do little more than configure site-builders for people who can't turn on a computer, and bill a couple thousand dollars.
Those aren't web designers. Those are liars with a lot of time on their hands who are stealing people's money. I've literally heard jaws drop over the phone when I tell people how their crappy site was actually developed after they paid a thousand dollars for a free template, copy/paste job.
After a designer is finished with it, it still needs to be easily maintained and updated, and nobody is going to go through the trouble of coding a content management system from scratch for a webpage designed to host static information.
They're not looking hard enough. There are people who will maintain it, host it, update it and take care of the headaches for a reasonable fee. That's not something for grandma's quilt website or photos of your stamp collection. If you're running a real business or organization or something as important as the information in the OP, shell out the money and get it done right. We've now seen the consequences of what can happen when you don't. I've helped a LOT of people who would rather pay a small fee than deal with the builders and the hassles involved.
the difference between that and a modestly competent drag and drop website is not going to be noticeable to 80% of visitors.
You'd be surprised. I've seen sites that go both ways and the difference is noticeable in many cases. Particularly once the layout and navigation issues are fixed.
most people have no business exercising their creative aesthetics when it comes to making a webpage.
No. And those people are eventually going to destroy their "builder" site because they screw up even simple edits. I've seen people screw up something as simple as a bulleted list.
I'd rather most people have boring websites than broken ones.
I can't count how many times I've seen the "builder" sites result in both.
It makes them realize those platforms aren't very good and that, if they want a real site, they probably need help.
Those aren't web designers. Those are liars with a lot of time on their hands who are stealing people's money. I've literally heard jaws drop over the phone when I tell people how their crappy site was actually developed after they paid a thousand dollars for a free template, copy/paste job.
They're not looking hard enough. There are people who will maintain it, host it, update it and take care of the headaches for a reasonable fee. That's not something for grandma's quilt website or photos of your stamp collection. If you're running a real business or organization or something as important as the information in the OP, shell out the money and get it done right. We've now seen the consequences of what can happen when you don't. I've helped a LOT of people who would rather pay a small fee than deal with the builders and the hassles involved.
You'd be surprised. I've seen sites that go both ways and the difference is noticeable in many cases. Particularly once the layout and navigation issues are fixed.
No. And those people are eventually going to destroy their "builder" site because they screw up even simple edits. I've seen people screw up something as simple as a bulleted list.
I can't count how many times I've seen the "builder" sites result in both.